Hook, Line and Sinker
by Arandil
Summary: Sorry! I couldn't resist with the title. Begins after Tallahassee and intended to be ES/KJ, but my characters do what they please and usually don't behave themselves. Yes, I'm looking at you, PIRATE. Mostly not AU for chapters 1-3 but then chapter 4 goes wildly off the rails, so hold on to your hats! (or hooks. or sweaters. or fishing poles. Just... hold on to something, okay?)
1. Chapter 1

Warning: My hormones wrote this, not my muses. In fact, my muses have stomped off, insulted that I'm writing about something wholly not concerning them, as fickle muses are wont to do. If you read on, be wary of that fact.

Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me, although I would like one of them to, and he's got to be in the public realm soon, if he's not already… But I digress. This was written for my own pleasure and if others gain enjoyment as well, all the better. Also, I am not spoiled – not in the knowing things ahead of time way – so if any of this actually comes to pass, well, then I guess OUaT should hire me as a writer. Ha ha ha. Yeah, right.

Apologies to those waiting for LotR/Silm updates. They're coming. I swear.

Anyhow… Read. Enjoy. Review.

* * *

There had been an argument, of course.

Emma had suspected the princess, Aurora, would disagree with her actions. The girl was sweet and trusting – qualities Emma saw as a liability, especially the latter. She had believed Hook's original story, implausible as it was even without Emma's ability to detect the tells of someone who was being deceitful. It hadn't sat well with Aurora either that they had bound his arms as they walked through the forest. After all, there were many dangers and she had argued that he wouldn't be able to defend himself. The poor girl had actually winced in pain at how much Emma had tightened the ropes, necessary though it was to prevent him from slipping his handless arm out.

Sleeping Beauty had defended Captain Hook. Emma's disbelief threatened to overcome her once again. _Sleeping Beauty_ had defended _Captain Hook._ She shook her head at the absurdity as she followed the other three girls, weaving between the trees, stepping over roots, ducking under low branches.

But no, it hadn't been Aurora who protested this time. It hadn't been Mary Margaret either. Emma watched as Mary Margaret paused for a moment and cocked her head, listening, and then obviously decided it was nothing and continued to walk. So different she had become since the curse broke, so _strong. _Emma had been friends with her before but never really thought of her as someone who could take care of herself. Now, the woman who turned out not only to be her mother but also _Snow White_ was surprising her at every turn. This woman took down an ogre on the first shot! But it was no surprise to Emma that she had agreed that leaving Hook behind was a good choice. Emma knew Mary – Snow – distrusted Hook and was glad to be rid of his company.

To Emma's surprise, it had been Mulan – one of the few people Emma had met that she could take seriously, not having known much of her prior to actually meeting her – that did not agree. Not at first; at first she had to contend with Snow for almost cutting down the beanstalk and stranding Emma at the top. But as soon as they started walking, Snow and Aurora in the front and Mulan and Emma behind, the warrior girl had hissed at Emma under her breath.

"You may have been our undoing, stranding that _pirate_ up there."

Emma whispered back. "What should I have done? Let him steal the compass from me and then throw me off the beanstalk as we climbed down?"

Mulan stopped walking which drew the attention of the other two. "How do you suppose we find Cora, now that he is no longer with us?"

Emma chuckled. "I'm sure once he goes running back to her and tells her we have the compass that _she'll_ find _us_."

Aurora came to join them. "But now… could we be ambushed by her? _Again_."

Snow followed Aurora over. "Emma did what she had to do." Her voice had a tone of authority and finality. Emma beamed at her mother, grateful once again to have someone on her side. "He _would_ have betrayed us, eventually."

"Better to have him with us, then, where we can keep close watch on him." Mulan took a step towards Snow, jutting her chin out defiantly. "He is sure to be angry and vengeful now."

"He did say we were better company than Cora." Aurora pointed out.

Mary Margaret raised an eyebrow. "_Safer_, company. He said we were _safer_."

He had said a lot of things, most of which Emma was trying to forget. "Could we just not talk about it or _him_ anymore?" She caught the quizzical look Snow shot her but continued anyway. "We'll find a way home. We don't need him."

Snow was frowning at her. Emma held her gaze for a few moments and Snow looked away, but Emma was sure there would be more to come later. Mulan and Aurora either missed their exchange or chose to ignore it.

"Very well," Mulan conceded, her manner still betraying her annoyance. "I just think he might have served us better had we kept up the façade that we believed and trusted him."

As the four of them walked in silence now, those words mocked Emma. _…the façade that we believed and trusted him_… She had been an idiot up there, up until the moment she had made a quick decision and chained and left him. But then who could blame her? She had been running around a giant's castle with _Captain Hook._ What was to come next? Was Peter Pan going to fly in and sprinkle them all with pixie dust so that they could fly home to Storybrooke?

But that man, regardless of who he was, had gotten under her skin. He had introduced himself as Hook and she thought she had known what to expect. But, like Mary Margaret, he had continually surprised her, challenged her, until in an inexplicable moment of weakness she had let her guard down.

It wasn't the innuendo or the over-the-top flirting. Emma was more than immune to men who thought they were charming and suave. She had run into her fair share of those in what she had recently started thinking of as her former life. Her profession brought her in contact with many less than savory characters, most of whom thought that by turning on the charm they could flirt their way out of being brought in.

It wasn't his good looks either. Emma could honestly say she hadn't noticed those, she had been so focused on his lies. No, she hadn't noticed those until he was tying on her bandage _with his teeth_ while gazing up at her with smoldering eyes. Sure, the rational part of her mind told her that it was necessary, his having one hand and all, but tell _that_ to the pit of her stomach.

No, it wasn't until she saw his reaction to her question about Milah. Captain Hook had been in love, truly in love, and had lost that love, and in that moment she had felt such a connection, such an understanding, that her strength and resolve crumbled around her. In that moment she saw through _his_ wall, saw _his_ vulnerability and responded to it. It was in that moment she knew she could not allow him to continue on with them, not if she didn't want to jeopardize their ever getting home and back to Henry and David.

…_the façade that we believed and trusted him_… Unfortunately for Emma, it had begun not to be a façade. Despite her better judgment she had begun to trust him. Even worse, she was starting to agree with him; they did make a good team. She liked fighting beside him; he was fearless and cunning. Twice she thought he had been crushed and both times she felt honestly panicked. Perhaps it was because she thought she needed him to get the compass. Perhaps it was something else. And that uncertainty only added to her resolve to leave him behind.

Snow held up her hand, signaling them to stop. Mulan continued up to Snow and they talked in hushed voices. Aurora sat down on a fallen log and Emma debated whether to join her but decided against it. She didn't want to talk to anyone right now. After a few moments, Mulan trotted off into the woods to the left and Snow came over to Emma.

"Emma, we think we are being followed." Snow said in a quiet voice.

"Followed?" Emma whispered, her heart accelerating. "How? By whom?" Emma tried to wipe the face that had appeared out of her mind.

"We don't know. Could be thieves. Thankfully it's not ogres; they make much more noise." She glanced back at Aurora. "Stay here with her, ok? Mulan and I are going to double back and see if we can cut whoever it is off."

Emma cocked her head to one side. "Stay with her? Really? Haven't I proven myself here yet?"

Snow sighed. "Of course you have. Which is why I need you to _stay_ with _her_."

Emma frowned but nodded. "Alright." Snow looked like she was going to say something but instead nodded once and ran off to the right. Emma sighed and walked over to sit next to Aurora. She hoped the other two would return soon.

* * *

It was less than an hour, by Emma's judgment, until Mulan and Snow returned. Emma stood as they approached.

"We found nothing." Mulan said, sounding disgusted.

"But that's good, right?" Aurora asked, ever hopeful.

Mulan regarded her with a look that seemed like a mixture of annoyance and pity and sulked off to sit on another fallen log a few feet away.

"It's not necessarily good," Snow said kindly. "But it isn't bad either," she added quickly when Aurora's eyes widened in alarm. "We're pretty sure there was someone, but they've gone another way."

"That's not to say they won't be back," Mulan added sullenly.

Again, the image of Hook appeared in Emma's head. It couldn't be him, she reasoned. It had only been five hours at the most since she climbed down the beanstalk.

"We should move," Snow said.

"Aye, you should, love," an all too familiar voice said from above them. Emma felt as if her heart stopped, remembering the fury in his voice as he screamed her name while she walked away from him. What was he here for? What would he to do her now?

Slowly she turned, in time to see him nimbly jump down from a low limb of one of the trees. Immediately Mulan's sword was drawn, pointed at his heart, and Snow held a dagger in her hand.

"Easy," He held his arms above his head. "I hold no ill will against you, _any_ of you." He looked from Snow to Mulan but never met Emma's uneasy stare.

"But… how did you…" Emma stuttered, still shaken by his sudden appearance.

"Escape?" he finished and smirked, finally looking at her, if only briefly. "Well, luckily for me, giants aren't very good at telling time." Emma gritted her teeth against the look he had given her, almost a sneer. She supposed she deserved it but for some reason it still bothered her.

"Then why come after us?" Mulan asked, not lowering her sword. "If not for retribution."

In a turn of mood, his face broke out into an impish grin. "You're my ticket to Storybrooke. It would do me no good to harm my best chance…"

He paused and Snow finished for him.

"Of extracting vengeance on someone else?" she asked, sounding almost placating.

"Exactly!" He punctuated the word with a thrust of his hands at Snow, causing Mulan to step forward, extending her sword closer to him.

"How did you find us? Why did you follow us?" Mulan demanded, narrowing her eyes at him. "Are you alone?"

"Oh, I'm very much alone, darling," he answered, feigning despair. "I wouldn't dare return to Cora without the compass." He chuckled. "Besides, Captain Hook, bested by a girl?" His eyes narrowed and Emma could feel the animosity coming from him. "She'd never let me live that down. Actually," he mused to himself, "she'd probably not let me live, period." He grinned again at Snow and Mulan. "So you lovelies are my only hope of achieving my one end. And _that_ is why I came after you."

"He's lying," Emma's choked out.

"Am I? _Emma_?" He spat her name distastefully, scowling at her.

She walked over to him, trying to hide how nervous she was. "Yes, but I don't know about which part," she whispered, staring at his face. "Did you really not return to Cora? Would she really kill you? Or are you planning on getting back at me for what I did?"

He leaned in to speak softly into her ear. His manner was seductive; his words were not.

"Much as you deserve it, love, I'm not here for you."


	2. Chapter 2

"His eyes were of the blue of the forget-me-not, and of a profound melancholy, save when he was plunging his hook into you,"  
- J.M. Barrie, _The Adventures of Peter Pan_

His 'hook' indeed… I see where our dear captain gets his penchant for the innuendo… Or maybe I just have a dirty, dirty mind.

* * *

_Killian bit back the bile that rose in his throat as he watched Cora approach along the beach. He could not stand the witch, felt like he had sold whatever soul he had left to the devil himself when he agreed to work with her, but Cora was not one to whom you said 'no;' not if you wanted to live to see another day. Besides, she was his means to an end as he knew he was hers. Of course, she would kill him as soon as look at him if it suited her, he knew that much, especially after what she had just done to all those people, so he must be doubly cautious. He collapsed his spyglass as she neared him._

_"Hello, Hook."_

_"Hello, Cora. You told me you had something important you needed to show me."_

_Cora held up a vial that contained powder that looked suspiciously like pixie dust. She caressed it with her fingers._

_"Sparkly dirt. Wonderful." He tried to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. Well... not really._

_Cora didn't respond to his acerbity. She usually didn't. "Just the remains of a magical wardrobe that can travel between worlds."_

_Killian eyed the vial again, his piqued interest dispelling his indifferent attitude. "Is there enough to get us to where we need to go?"_

_"Not quite. But it's a start."_

_He allowed himself the barest hint of a smile. "We're almost ready to set sail. What's our port of destination?"_

_"Storybrooke."_

_"Hmm, curious name. Is that where…"_

_"She is. And so is he."_

_He felt the eager stirrings of anticipation in the pit of his stomach. "Excellent. You'll be able to see your daughter, and I can skin myself a crocodile."_

_Cora smiled her small tight smile. "Yes, but first you have work to do." She held out her cupped hands in front of her as if she were holding a ball. As she drew them apart an opaque bubble appeared in midair. Magic. Of course._

_"What-" he began, but before he could finish the images of two rather pretty women appeared in the ball. Eyes wide, he looked to Cora for an explanation._

_"Pay attention," she said, as if scolding an errant child. He gritted his teeth and turned back to the magic._

_"I'm, uh, sorry I torched our ride home." The one woman said – the blond one. "I couldn't let her get to Henry. I just-" She sounded desperate._

_"You had to put Henry first." The dark haired one soothed, nodding her head._

_They watched each other in silence for a moment before the blond one spoke again. "I was angry at you for so long… Wondering how you could choose to let me grow up without you." Killian thought she was about to cry. She sounded like an abandoned child confronting a parent. Impossible, as they were roughly the same age. She went on, choked up. "But then I just… Seeing all this… You gave up everything for me. And you're still doing that. I'm sorry; I'm not good at this. I… I guess I just… I'm not…" She sobbed. "I'm not used to someone putting me first."_

_The dark haired woman walked over and embraced her as the blond woman cried. "Well, get used to it."_

_The image dissolved. "Touching," he remarked, unmoved but curious. "I suppose they're important in some way, or else you wouldn't have shown me that heartwarming little scene."_

_"Indeed they are." Cora smirked and he clenched his jaw tighter. "They are the key to the success of our journey."_

_"How so?"_

_"They wish to find a way to Storybrooke as well." She pulled two leather wrist cuffs out of her robes and held them out towards Killian, who eyed them warily but did not take them. "There is a beanstalk. These will allow you and one other to climb it. At the top is a giant who holds a compass we need-"_

_"Is it-?"_

_"Yes," Cora continued. "_That _compass. There are four women in total – two others not in the vision I showed you. But be cautious; do not underestimate them. They are far more cunning than you might think." She paused. "You must get them to trust you, in any way you can."_

_"And how shall I do that?" he drawled, struggling to keep the contempt out of his voice._

_She slapped the cuffs against his chest, forcing him to grab them. "By whatever means necessary." Her voice had taken on a sharper edge, his only indication that she was getting annoyed. That horrid smirk was still plastered on her face. "Use what you've seen just now. I will tell you what else I know of them. Modify your approach as needed."_

_He glared at her for a minute longer before he handed the cuffs back to her, holding out his hand so she could put one on him. She smiled at his silent submission._

_"Which shall I use?" he asked blandly._

_Cora continued to smile sweetly; her most dangerous smile. "Whichever you choose. Pick the one you think is most susceptible to your so-called charms and exploit what you know about her. I don't care what you do to or with her, just get me that compass."_

* * *

Emma pulled away from him and met his hostile gaze. He was furiously angry, that much was apparent, but there was something else there as well. She refused to drop her eyes, to show weakness. He would exploit any weakness he saw, and he was far too perceptive to allow him any edge.

Snow cleared her throat but Emma did not turn to her until Hook did.

"As I said, we should move on." Snow said, a stern look on her face as she regarded first Emma and then Hook.

"What should we do with _him_?" Mulan asked, her sword still raised.

Snow shrugged. "Tie him up, again, and bring him with us."

"Are you serious? Tie _me_ up?" Hook sounded more indignant than angry, but his voice was dangerously low when he continued. "It was _I_ who was betrayed. And yet you wish to bind _me_ like _I_ can't be trusted."

"Oh, please." Emma said, beginning to get annoyed. "You would have done the same thing if you'd had the chance."

"Well it doesn't really matter now, does it, love?" He smirked at her and she clenched her jaw. He was certainly angry and she was afraid that it would make him dangerous.

"Look," he said, holding up his hands in surrender and addressing Snow and Mulan. "All I want is to get to your Storybrooke. I still think _you_ lovelies are my best option." He folded his arms across his chest and narrowed his eyes, glancing quickly at Emma. "Whether or not you're mine remains to be seen."

* * *

Emma walked in silence at the back of the group. They had finally agreed to allow Hook to remain untied as long as he removed his hook and gave it to one of them to carry. He had not been happy with this and had glowered in Emma's direction until they started walking again. Thankfully, now he walked in front of her so she was spared his scathing looks but she feared what would happen if he ever separated her from the others.

They were able to continue through the night while the moon was out – it was nearly full – but, once it set, the darkness made the woods too difficult to navigate, even for Snow. They stopped in a small copse of trees and Mulan took Aurora with her to gather some wood, leaving Snow and Emma alone with Hook.

At first he was silent. But that did not last for long. While Mary Margaret cleared an area for the fire, Emma went to find some rocks to ring the clearing. As she squatted down, she felt someone crouch down next to her. Her body stiffened.

"Do I even get an apology?" She couldn't see his face in the darkness, but his voice lacked its usual jaunty edge. It wasn't quite 'I'm just a blacksmith' pitiful, but closer to what it was when he spoke of Milah. She stood and felt him stand as well.

"I'm not sorry for what I did," she whispered, hoping Mary Margaret would not overhear.

He didn't answer, and when she walked away, he didn't follow, which surprised her. It also annoyed her and, feeling the need to explain herself, she went back over to where he stood.

"Tell me, now that the others are not listening, that you wouldn't have done the same thing."

He leaned in so their faces were inches apart. It was doubly unnerving in the darkness. "I wouldn't have done the same thing," he whispered.

She narrowed her eyes and tried to see him as best as she could. He was telling the truth.

"No, I suppose you wouldn't have." She folded her arms. "Since Mulan and Snow would have had your head if you'd come down without me."

He chuckled. "True that may be, but it is not the reason."

"Then what _is_ the reason?" Emma waited for an answer but he was again silent. They stared at each other in the darkness, challenging, calculating. She noticed Mulan and Aurora return and start to build a fire, but kept her eyes on Hook.

"I'm an honorable man-" He began after a bit, but Emma scoffed, cutting him off.

"It's been my experience that men who have to keep telling you they're honest and honorable usually aren't."

"I live by a certain code." He sounded indignant.

"The pirate code?" she asked skeptically. "The one that's more guidelines than rules?"

He pulled his eyebrows together. "What?" Emma could dimly see his face in the firelight. He frowned at her a moment longer before giving his head a small shake. "It would have been very bad form for me to have left you up there to die. So no, I most certainly would not have done the same thing." He tilted his chin downward so he was looking at her in much the same way he had during that whole bandage-teeth-tie-smolder thing. "Besides, I thought we had a connection, Emma."

She swallowed against the lump that had formed in her throat, wishing he looked more like the Captain Hook with whom she was familiar. "A connection?" she whispered, not trusting her voice would not betray the effect he was having on her. "When?"

With an almost tender half smile on his face he reached out and brushed some of her hair over her shoulder with his right hand. "Why do you want so much _not_ to trust me?" He continued quickly before she could answer. "I know it's that you don't _want_ to trust me – you said as much yourself – what are you afraid of?"

He was certainly disarming when he wanted to be. "Who says I'm afraid?" Emma asked, feigning confidence she didn't currently feel.

"Oh, you're most certainly afraid, love. But you have no reason to be. As I said, things would be a lot smoother if you trust me."

"Trust you?" Emma hissed at him, narrowing her eyes and leaning closer. "You said it yourself, Cora sent you to gain our trust. You'll swear allegiance to whoever suits your needs. Why the _hell_ should I trust you?"

"Ahh… that's it then," he said, smirking at her, a knowing look on his face. "You're afraid I'm going to leave, to _abandon_ you." Clenching her jaw, she held his gaze but was shocked at the audacity of his next words.

"Just because others have, darling, doesn't mean I will."

Snow picked that moment to take an interest in their conversation and walked over to where they stood.

"What's going on, over here?"

"Nothing." Emma spat as she spun on her heels, her insides boiling. "Feel free to tie him back up," she called back towards Snow as she stalked over to the fire, so upset she did not catch Snow's worried look or Hook's enigmatic smile.


	3. Chapter 3

"When I jab you with my sword, you'll feel it."  
- Killian Jones, _Once Upon A Time_

*spontaneously combusts*  
-Arandil, _On Her Sofa_

* * *

_Killian jumped off the beanstalk and landed hard on the wet ground. Of course it had started to rain. Of course. _

"_My dear captain…" Killian closed his eyes, exhaled sharply and hung his head when he heard Cora behind him. "It seems you've been on quite an adventure. The compass, please."_

"_Yes, that." He had hoped to retrieve it before she found him. Dealing with an angry Cora was the last thing he wanted to do at the moment. He turned slowly as he formulated his response. "Well, matters grew complicated. It's eluded me for the moment. Details of the affair are a bit of a bore."_

"_Really?" Cora was grinning in the manner she did right before ripping out a heart. Perhaps forced nonchalance wasn't the way to get back into her good graces. "Losing the one object I've tasked you to retrieve might seem like a bore to you, but to me, it's a failure._

"_I will still bring it to you," he assured her. "Our agreement remains. We are going to Storybrooke together. I'll get it back."_

_Cora gave a small shake of her head. "I don't have time for your games. I've crossed thru too many worlds to be brought short on the brink of success." She paused, and then sweetly asked, "Who was it that bested you?"_

_Killian fought to keep his face a neutral mask. "The Swan girl. Emma." In his mind he saw her as she walked away from him, stranding him. He quickly suppressed the memory. "Rest assured, it won't happen again." _

_Cora laughed. "No, it won't. You chose her and the consequences of that decision."_

"_Ooh. Are you going to kill me now?" He asked, putting as much derision into his voice as he could. He shifted his weight, readying his stance in case she was, and continued in a harsher tone. "Go ahead. Try."_

"_So brave," Cora mocked. "No, I'm not going to kill you. I have something far more satisfying in mind. I'm going to leave you here with your thirst for revenge unquenched, while I complete our journey without you."_

_Killian's stomach clenched. Antagonizing Cora was not going to achieve his end. He decided on another approach, one that had worked all too well with others in the past. He took a few steps closer to her and smiled suggestively. "There's no need to be rash. We can discuss this."_

_It didn't work. Cora was unmoved. "Your pretty face buys you a lot, but not my time. It's too valuable."_

_Desperate, Killian changed tactics again. "I can do this. I can get it back. You need me," he pleaded urgently._

_Cora laughed. "No I don't. You've had your chance. Now it's my turn to do this, the right way."_

* * *

Emma leaned against a tree, watching as the three other women slept by the fire. Hook sat off by himself, awake and resting against a stump several yards away, distractedly picking at the hem of his sleeve.

She felt guilty; she had to admit it to herself although she would never voice it out loud. Sure, he had lied to them when he met them, but hadn't he been truthful ever since? She didn't know what to think and was honestly tired of thinking about it, of thinking about _him_.

No, regardless of whether or not he had yet to lie to her, she could not trust him. He read her like a book, made her feel things she didn't need to feel – hey, she was only human, after all – and the most important thing right now – the _only_ important thing right now – was getting back to Henry.

She wished she could be more like Snow, more like her mother. Hook had flirted with Snow in the beginning but she shut him down quickly with her icy regard. Emma didn't know if Snow knew of Hook from this land, knew _this_ version of him, or only knew him from the stories in their land like Emma did, but she knew that her mother disliked and distrusted the pirate and probably would have just as soon let the ogres have eaten him as brought him along.

Thinking about that reminded Emma that _she_ would have just as soon left him to the ogres as well. But then _something_ changed because it was not long after that she was making deals with giants to spare his life. Sure, she chained him up to detain him and give them a head start, but she could have just as easily let the giant find him under that rubble and do what he would.

Despite herself, Emma shuddered to think of what the giant might have done, had she not struck a bargain. So what _had_ changed? Her mind replayed every encounter between them; how he urged her to trust him, how he looked when she asked about Milah, how his body felt when she grabbed him…

Was that it, then? Was that all this was, some hormonal imbalance?

No, it wasn't. It couldn't be. That was not Emma Swan.

Or maybe it was. She found herself wanting to trust him and questioned why that was. She didn't get much time to think about it because suddenly Aurora was awake and screaming.

Snow rushed over to her, "Hey. I'm here. It's ok, it's ok. It was just another nightmare."

Emma only half paid attention to their conversation until Aurora mentioned that this time there was a little boy in her dream. Interested now, she walked over to where the others were as Mary Margaret asked, "A little boy?"

"What did he say?" Emma asked when she reached Aurora.

Aurora looked first at Mary Margaret and then at Emma. "He said… he said his name was Henry."

* * *

"They took her. Aurora's gone." Mulan sounded close to tears.

Emma looked around. Hook was gone as well. She grasped her pocket and, feeling the bulge of the compass still there, she sighed with relief.

"We still have the compass." Emma said. "Why would they take her and not the compass?"

At that moment, a crow flew up to Mary Margaret and landed on her shoulder. Mulan drew her sword and Emma grabbed at where her gun should be.

"Wait." Mary Margaret said.

The crow cawed and Emma frowned. It seemed to be talking to Mary Margaret.

When the crow flew off Emma turned to her mother. "What the hell was that?"

" Cora." Mary Margaret said, her face drawn. "We have until sundown to bring her the compass. If we don't, she'll kill Aurora."

* * *

Emma watched in shock and mild horror as Mary Margaret pulled back her arrow, readying to strike Mulan's throat.

"Stop!" Aurora appeared in front of them, stunning Emma even more.

"Okay, don't take this the wrong way, but how the hell did you get here?" she asked.

Aurora didn't respond but walked over to Mulan and Mary Margaret and commanded, "Let Mulan go. I said, let her go!"

Mary Margaret rose off of Mulan and Aurora extended her hand to help Mulan.

Mulan rose on her own, asking, "Were you followed?"

"I… I don't think so." Aurora stuttered. "Cora may know I'm gone, but she didn't see me escape."

"How did you escape?" Emma finally found her voice, still astonished that the princess was able to make it back to them on her own. She did not expect Aurora's answer.

"It was Hook. He let me go."

"Why?" Emma asked.

Aurora glanced at Mulan before looking back to Emma. "Because of you." Hearing those three simple words caused Emma's stomach to turn over. Aurora continued, "He said he wanted to prove to you, that you should've trusted him. That if you had trusted him you could've defeated Cora together. That the two of you could've gotten the remains of the wardrobe." Emma began to second guess her actions on top of that beanstalk as Aurora started speaking again.

"Without him, you'll have to go up against her all by yourself."

Emma caught Mary Margaret eyeing her suspiciously. Aurora's next words didn't help those looks.

"He only wants to help. I…" Aurora got a funny little smile on her face. "I think he may care for you."

Emma stood, wide eyed and open mouthed, staring at the princess. Nobody spoke until Mary Margaret broke the silence.

"What happened, exactly, on that beanstalk…?" she asked softly.

* * *

_And… that's it, we're back on track. Please don't hate on this chapter. It was necessary to get them from point A to point B, if not overly compelling._

_I would apologize for the delay in the update, but instead I direct you to the readers of my other stories who have been waiting two years. But I get it. I am voracious when it comes to stories I'm reading. I make no promise about the next chapter except to say 1) some of it is already written, so it will hopefully come in a timely manner and 2) Storybrooke!_


	4. Chapter 4

_Killian lay in his bunk, halfway between sleep and wakefulness, allowing himself to be lulled by the familiar rock and creak of his ship. He heard someone outside his door and ignored it; no one would be so bold as to disturb him, they all feared him too much. He chuckled to himself. Except, perhaps, for Smee – he was either too stupid or too cunning, Killian hadn't yet decided. Regardless of which he was, he would be the only one who dared enter, and the only one Killian wouldn't eviscerate for doing so, but only in the case of a true emergency._

_The would-be intruder passed on and Killian returned to his earlier thoughts. He was so close to achieving his end; he needed only one more piece of information and he was pretty sure of who held it. The problem was she had denied him several times already._

_He heard a sound in the keyhole and realized he had been mistaken. There was one other who would enter his quarters._

"_Have you changed your mind then, pixie?" he asked, without turning towards the door._

_The glowing ball that spurted out of the keyhole flitted over and he sat up. She buzzed around his head a few times until he swatted at her with his hook. She landed daintily on the table and sat down on an overturned bottle, crossing her legs and jingling at him._

_He stood up and walked over to the table, flicking the bottle out from under her when he reached it. She flew at his face, tinkling angrily. He grabbed at her and finally caught one of her wings between his fingers. He held her up so he could look at her, face to face._

"_Ooh, I've caught you now." He grinned lasciviously, poking at her stomach with the back of his hook. Before he realized what she was doing, he got a face full of pixie dust. Sneezing, he released her and she flew away, landing again on the table. He wiped the back of his hand across his face and then folded his arms across his chest._

"_You know I can't talk to you when you're like this." He bent over, placing his hand and his hook on the edge of the table so he could look her in the eye again. She tapped her foot and scowled at him, but made no other move._

"_Or, perhaps, you did not come to talk…" he raised his eyebrows and leaned closer to her. That did it. She kicked him in the face and flew up and across the room. As he rubbed his nose where her kick had landed her glow grew until it was roughly person-sized. He squinted against the brightness and turned away until the glow subsided. Standing before him, breathtaking as always, was Tinkerbell. _

"_I could kill you in your sleep, pirate. You would do well to remember that." Her voice still sounded like little bells, but Killian could at least understand it now._

"_Oh, you are far too fond of me for that, love…" He let half of his mouth curl up in a smile and walked closer to her, continuing in a whisper. "Otherwise you wouldn't keep coming back…"_

_She leapt at him and he sidestepped, catching her one wrist with his hook and her other hand with his. He brought her arms together so that he could grasp both her wrists with his good hand. She wriggled to get free but he managed to turn and press her against the wall, pinning her arms above her head._

"_Now look where you've gotten yourself," he breathed, feeling her squirm. "Uh uh uh." he scolded. "You're staying right where I have you." He was thoroughly enjoying himself until she smashed her forehead against him. He staggered backwards and she danced across the floor to the other side of the room._

"_You should know better than to wrestle a pixie, Hook," she tinkled._

_Killian rubbed his forehead and blinked against the headache that was quickly spreading. "You didn't complain last night."_

_A smile began to spread across her face, but he could tell she was fighting to suppress it. She walked over to him and reached out to place a hand on his head. His headache instantly began to fade._

"_Sorry about head-butting you," she said, letting her hand linger on the side of his face._

"_No you aren't," he countered, then had a thought. "If you were, you would tell me what I wish to know…"_

_Tinkerbell pulled her hand away and sighed, sounding like wind chimes. "You know I can't…"_

"_Won't…" Killian contradicted. _

"_I will not betray those I am sworn to protect."_

_Killian grudgingly admired her good form. That didn't change the fact that he needed the information she possessed. He took a step closer and leaned towards her. "Then we are at an impasse."_

_She raised her eyebrows. "What do you propose we do?" she asked, sounding far more sensual than a pixie should._

_Killian grinned in anticipation. "I suppose this is where we… negotiate."_

_Tinkerbell shoved him harshly against the wall. He allowed her to pin his arms the way he had just done to hers as she pressed her mouth wantonly against his. He may not have been close to breaking her down and getting his answers, but he had forever and this was certainly not a bad way to pass the time._

* * *

Emma woke suddenly, disoriented at first until she realized she was back in her bed at Mary Margaret's apartment. She smiled as she heard muted voices from the eating area; Mary Margaret's mingled with David's and occasionally Henry's.

Her family.

She lay there, soaking it in, unused to such warmth, safety and happiness. For once in her life, Emma was content. She took a long deep breath, willing this moment, this feeling, to last and then decided to go down and join the others.

Mary Margaret and David were sitting across from each other, hands clasped in each other's on the table while they were talking. Henry jumped up and ran over to her, throwing his arms around her middle in a huge hug.

"I thought you'd sleep forever!"

"Kid," Emma hugged him back and looked at the clock. "It's not even 8:30!"

"What can I say?" Henry beamed up at her. "I missed you!"

"Aww…" Emma laughed. David came over and ruffled Henry's hair.

"We kept him from going in to wake you."

"Thank you," Emma said, and David clasped her shoulder as he smiled at her. She looked over at Mary Margaret who was positively glowing at her.

"Ok. How about some coffee?" she said, uncomfortable with all the attention.

"Right. Coffee." Mary Margaret got up to get her a cup as David's phone started ringing. He went into the other room to answer it. Emma, with Henry still attached to her side, walked over to the counter so sit and have her coffee. Henry sat on the stool right next to hers. She had just taken her first sip when David came back.

"That was the Harbor Master." He shot Emma an apologetic look. "I've been acting as sheriff while you weren't here…"

Emma shrugged. "That's fine. What did he want?"

"Apparently an unregistered ship docked last night."

Emma frowned. "He's never called before."

David came to the counter and took another sip of his coffee. He pulled his eyebrows together. "He wasn't forthcoming with information, but said he preferred to have some backup."

"All right." Emma stood. "Let's go."

"Together?" David asked. Emma saw him fighting back a smile.

"Sure."

Henry jumped down. "Great! Let's go."

"Un uh." Emma faced him. "You're going to school."

Henry stared at her for a moment, and then tilted his head. "Ok." He grabbed his backpack off the floor and called back, "Bye!" as he ran through the door. Emma stared after him and then looked at each of her parents. Their faces looked the way she imagined hers did.

"That was too easy…" she said and Mary Margaret nodded.

"Don't question your fortune," David said, grabbing his coat off the back of the chair. "Come on, we've got to get down to the harbor."

* * *

It was a beautiful morning as Emma and David pulled up to the harbor. Emma parked and surveyed what she could see of the ships from inside the car. Nothing seemed amiss, but David pointed ahead towards tall masts rising above the other boats.

"There. Do you see it?"

"No." They all kind of looked the same. She and David got out of the car and she followed him down past several small boats before he stopped.

"That's never been here before," he said hesitantly.

Emma stared at the brightly painted, old fashioned ship in front of her. "What the hell kind of boat is that?"

"It's the Jolly Roger," a voice said from behind them.

"Henry!" Emma shouted, exasperated, as she spun around. "You're supposed to be in school."

David didn't seem as concerned with Henry's truancy. "The Jolly Roger?"

"David!" Emma scolded. "Can you please bring him back to the car? And wait there while I check this out."

David put a hand on Henry's shoulder and started leading him away. "What's the Jolly Roger?"

"Captain Hook's ship."

"Wait, _what?_" Emma felt her stomach drop. "Kid... Kid! What did you just say?"

Henry and David both turned back to face her. David was frowning. Henry apparently hadn't caught the panic in her voice.

"It's Captain Hook's ship. You know, from Peter Pan?"

Emma resisted the urge to tell him she knew _exactly_ who Captain Hook was. When she answered, her voice was almost a whisper. "Are you _sure_?"

Henry shrugged. "Uh, _yeah_."

"How is that possible?" Emma muttered to herself.

"You're the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming," Henry said to her. "Why would you doubt the existence of other fairy tale characters?"

Emma didn't respond to him and instead turned to David. "Get him back to the car and stay there," she ordered in a low urgent voice. David didn't question her and lead Henry away.

"Wait! I want to meet Captain Hook!" Henry called back as David walked him towards the car. "Why can't I meet him?" His voice was getting quieter as he got further away. Once he was completely gone, Emma turned back to the giant ship in front of her.

Taking a deep breath, she walked across the dock and climbed aboard. She drew her gun and started walking around, looking for _him_. It didn't take long for her to find him.

"Who gave you permission to come aboard my ship?" She hadn't really believed he was here until that exact moment. Slowly, she turned around and pointed her gun at his chest.

"Hook," she said, for lack of the ability to say anything else.

"Emma." He smiled winningly at her and raised his arms in the air. "Surely there's no need for weapons, love."

"This coming from a man who, last time I saw him, pinned me on my back with his sword at my throat," she hissed.

He pressed his lips together in a smirk and took a step towards her. "Which was right before you clocked me with that compass, so I'd call us even."

"Don't come any closer," she warned.

"You're not going to shoot me, darling," he mocked, taking another step towards her.

She moved her arm ever so slightly to the right and fired a shot. It hit its mark, less than a yard away from his feet. He jumped back and drew his sword.

"You shot my ship!" he shouted indignantly, pointing his sword towards her.

"Next time, I shoot _you_," Emma threatened, aiming the gun once more at him. "Now tell me, how did you get here?"

"You _shot_ my _ship_," he repeated.

"You left me in a dungeon to _die_," she shouted, shocking herself. But with that a torrent of anger overcame her.

"You left _me_ atop that bloody beanstalk…" he responded, but Emma was just getting started.

"You took Aurora's heart…"

"I gave it back."

"You teamed up with Cora…"

"_You_ joined forces with that awful giant…" He was matching her, but she was nowhere near finished. However, just then David ran up, Henry right behind him, cutting short her rage.

"We heard a gunshot!" David shouted, and then looked from Emma to Hook, both of whom still had their weapons pointed at each other. Emma allowed herself a quick glance at the two of them. David looked wary. Henry looked positively besotted.

"Are you really Captain Hook?" Henry asked, wide eyed. Emma was going to have to sit him down for a long talk.

"This your boy?" Hook asked in a complete change of mood. Then, to her utter horror, he sheathed his sword and walked over to the other two. "So you've heard of me too? No doubt from your mother… Well, no matter; pay no mind to what she's said about me." He grinned and then continued in a conspirational whisper. "All lies…"

Emma kept the gun trained on him. "Get away from him."

He turned and smiled maliciously at her then walked over until the barrel of her gun was against his chest. He raised his eyebrows and smirked down at her.

"Go ahead," he whispered, challenging.

After a moment he shook his head and walked away from her, saying, "So, we've established you're not going to shoot me…"

Emma gave up and put the gun away.

He spun to face her, "There's a good girl."

Emma clenched her jaw. It was going to be a long morning.


	5. Chapter 5

_The first thing Killian was aware of was his skull, mostly because it was pounding to rival the Piccaninny's drums. The constant throbbing was making thought difficult but there was a nagging urge, buried deep beneath the beats, which demanded attention. Had he been captured by the Indians again? Were they using his head for a drum? _

_Swan!_

_The name shot into his mind and memory returned, although it did nothing to alleviate the pain. He opened his eyes and spit coarse sand out of his mouth. _

_She knew how to throw a punch, he thought begrudgingly. She had ensured the compass in her hand connected right where it needed to in order to knock him out. He sat up and rubbed his temples, letting his eyes and his mind adjust to consciousness._

_The portal was closed, replaced by a small area of water no bigger than a large puddle, and he alone remained next to it. Whatever had happened, Cora had abandoned him. His mind tried to piece together a sequence of events after he went down and he came up with two possible scenarios. Either Emma and Snow had managed to outwit Cora and get through the portal – not likely – or Cora had defeated the two women and dragged their bodies through with her. _

_He tried to ignore the knot in his stomach at the second option and examined the area more closely. There was one set of footprints leading away from the clearing. His mind tried to adjust his scenarios to account for this new piece of information. Could the two women actually have bested the witch? Did Cora slink away in defeat? Was that even possible?_

_Slowly pushing himself up onto his knees and then to his feet, he looked for any other clues but there was nothing else he could find. He dusted himself off and bent to retrieve his sword, his necklace swinging out from underneath his shirt. Something felt odd and he placed his hand over his chest to feel for what caused this difference. _

_The bean!_

_He ripped the chain that held the dried up bean from his neck and held it out in front of him, examining it. If what Cora had said was true, the water in front of him could restore the bean. _

_Checking the area to make sure he truly was alone, he walked over to the puddle and knelt down next to it, his hope of vengeance renewed._

* * *

Emma was only half-listening to Jason, the Harbor Master; as he explained to her and David what paperwork would have to be filled out to allow the ship they were all standing on to remain in Storybrooke's harbor. Most of her attention was on Hook, who was showing Henry how to steer the ship, animatedly explaining the finer points of navigating through rough waters. Apparently the boy's fascination with him had instantly won Hook over, a fact with which Emma was not at all pleased. At this rate she was going to have a hard time convincing Henry that he should stay away from the pirate. Hook gave every appearance of being harmless at the moment, but Emma knew that nothing was farther from the truth.

Jason stopped talking and Hook looked down to the three of them. He caught and held Emma's gaze, giving her a wink, which made her scowl and turn back to David and Jason. The Harbor Master was mostly concerned about procedure, obviously not figuring out who the harbor's newest occupant was. Emma was more worried about the possible carnage, especially since she or David had to leave to bring Henry to school.

Once Jason left the boat, finally satisfied that the proper protocols would be followed, Hook bounded down the few stairs to where Emma and David were standing on the main deck, Henry right behind him, and sauntered over.

David gave him a scrutinizing look. "How exactly did you get here, Hook?"

"I walked down the stairs, just now. Did you not see, mate?" Hook smiled innocently and Emma rolled her eyes.

"I meant to Storybrooke… _mate_." Emma saw David place his hand on his holster and was surprised at how natural the movement seemed to him, someone who had only worn a gun for a short time. Belatedly she realized it was probably also where his sword used to hang.

"David, why don't you take Henry to the car," Emma said before the situation could escalate. "I'll be right there." She ignored David's piercing gaze. He didn't respond except to lead Henry away by the shoulder and Henry didn't object, which she thought might be a small miracle. When she felt they were safely out of earshot, she rounded on Hook, who had an infuriating smirk on his face.

"You are not allowed to kill _anybody_ while I'm gone," she said in a harsh whisper. "Do you understand me?"

"Only while you're gone?" he teased.

"I'm serious. And you are not allowed to take anybody's hearts."

Hook looked affronted. "That was a one-time deal. It was wasted, really, on the princess." He shrugged. "But I needed _some_ way to get back into Cora's good graces since _you_ ladies didn't seem inclined to help me. So really, you should blame yourself."

Emma scoffed. "How so?"

"If you hadn't left me, I wouldn't have been forced to reconcile with Cora."

Emma clenched her jaw and glared at him. "Speaking of which, where _is_ Cora?"

"I have no clue," he said, waving away the question. "She is no longer my concern."

Emma narrowed her eyes. "I don't feel comfortable leaving you here alone…"

"I knew you couldn't bear to leave." Hook stepped closer to her – too close – and Emma, trying to control her now racing pulse, took a deep breath. It was a mistake, for the smell of leather and rum and salt nearly overwhelmed her.

"Don't make me handcuff you to your own ship." Emma tried to sound annoyed but it came out more ragged than she had wanted. Any hope that he hadn't noticed was erased by his wolfish grin.

"It wouldn't be the first time, love," he said suggestively, his face so close to hers his breath tickled her cheek. "And trust me I would make it well worth your while."

Emma groaned and managed to push him away. "Just behave yourself," she said through gritted teeth before turning her back on him and walking off the ship.

When she got to the car Henry and David were already inside. She opened her door and sat down in the driver's seat. She had no sooner closed the door when David turned his head towards her and raised his eyebrows.

"So…" he began but Emma cut him off.

"Don't." she said.

David held up his hands and didn't say anything more.

* * *

Emma walked Henry into the school building, David following right behind her. She had assured him she could handle dropping Henry off by herself, but he had joked about keeping an eye on Henry lest he run off again. Emma suspected he was just using any excuse to see Mary Margaret.

And when they entered the school office, he got his chance. No sooner had they crossed the threshold, but Mary Margaret ran over and threw her arms around Henry, enveloping him in an enormous hug.

"I was so worried!" she cried, "When you weren't in class I didn't know where you were!"

"You didn't call me?" Emma asked, slightly annoyed. Although, thinking about it now, she probably should have had the sense to call the school so Mary Margaret wouldn't worry. She was new to this whole family thing, and besides, she had been completely distracted by the appearance of… well, it didn't do to dwell on it.

"Or me?" David asked, bringing Emma's focus back to the present.

"I didn't want to bother either of you while you were working," she answered, still not releasing Henry.

"You thought my son was missing and you didn't want to _bother_ me?" Emma asked.

The door banged open and Emma heard a familiar, if unwelcome, voice declare, _"My _son." Mary Margaret finally released Henry and Emma sighed.

"You called her?" she said to Mary Margaret.

"I had to," she answered, looking apologetic.

"That's right, Miss Swan, she had to, since I'm _legally_ his mother." She turned to Henry and her disposition sweetened considerably. "Henry, why don't you go to class?"

"But…" Henry objected.

Emma cut him off. "Henry…" she said warningly, afraid of what information he might inadvertently give to Regina with his protest.

"Fine." Henry frowned, looking rebellious, but allowed Mary Margaret to lead him out of the office. When the door had closed behind them, Emma turned to Regina.

"We have a problem," she said, not bothering to waste any civilities on someone who wouldn't appreciate them anyway.

"You mean other than the fact that you're still weaseling your way into my son's life?" Regina asked, tilting her head and narrowing her eyes even further.

"Can you please just… _stop_ for a minute," Emma said, trying not to let the other woman get to her. She leaned closer so she could whisper. "I think your mother's here."

Regina laughed, sounding more nervous than Emma had ever heard her. "That's impossible." She grabbed Emma's arm and pulled her out into the hall. Emma was thankful to see that David followed them.

Regina glanced up and down the hall before saying, "The portal closed right after you and Mary Margaret came through."

"Well, I think she found another way." Emma said.

Regina stood silently for a moment before she said, "We need to talk to Mr. Gold."

Emma nodded then looked to David. He hesitantly put a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of… that _other_ thing while you handle this."

Emma smiled at him grateful not only for his help, but for the fact that she didn't have to ask for it. "Thanks."

Regina, sounding more like herself, walked out ahead of Emma, calling, "let's go," back over her shoulder.


End file.
